A variety of advanced surgical laser systems have been developed over the years for ophthalmic surgery, targeting portions of the cornea, the lens, the retina and other structures of the eye. Some of these surgical systems increase the precision of the surgical procedure by creating a well-controlled connection between the ophthalmic surgical apparatus and the ophthalmic target, typically a region or a structure of the eye. In some cases this connection is established by lowering a docking module or unit onto the eye. Certain systems also employ an additional fixation step, such as the application of suction to strengthen the connection. In typical surgical laser systems the precision and control of the ophthalmic surgery is substantially impacted by the precision of these docking and fixation steps and hence improving the precision of the docking procedure can improve the precision of the entire ophthalmic surgical procedure.